The “Golden Hits Of The 70s”
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THIN LIZZY
“THE BOYS ARE BACK IN TOWN”
(Phil Lynott)
Mercury 73786
No. 12 July 24, 1976
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Thin Lizzy was known for its well-crafted lyrics, hard rock rills, raised fists, and anger. “The aggression is
what I love,” said Phil Lynott, the charismatic frontman and bass anchor of Thin Lizzy, in an exclusive
interview conducted shortly before his death in 1986. “I get that feeling whenever I hit the stage. I’m sure
I’d be locked up for doin’ something if I didn’t have rock’n’roll. It quiets me and we quiet the kids. I love
that black leather, it feels so lovely on the skin… The power pose is to show I’m black, black Irish. The fist
is the black power salute. I have to do it–I don’t know, I hit the stage, and I’m in another world.”
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The only constants in the group’s decade-plus history were lead singer/bassist Lynott (b. Aug. 20, 1951,
Dublin) and drummer Brian Downey (b. Jan. 27, 1951, Dublin). “We go back to being school kids
together, and had this thing called the Black Eagles,” Lynott explained. “We’d cover the hit records, do
some soul hits, and Elvis things, too.” Phil and Brian separated briefly: Phil joined Garry Moore in Skid
Row, and Brian played with Sugar Shack.
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In 1969, Lynott and Downey formed Orphanage with guitarist Eric Bell (b. Sept. 3, 1947, Belfast), a one
time member of the legendary Van Morrison group, Them. Orphanage scored a hit in Ireland with their
single “Morning Dew.” In 1970, one of Decca Records’ A & R men scouted the group out and signed them
up. Thin Lizzy’s first (and self-titled) album appeared in 1971, and by the next year, the band had moved
to London to launch a successful worldwide career.
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After their third album, Eric Bell dropped out and returned to Ireland. A number of fine musicians drift-
ed in and out of the band over the years: John Cann, Andy Gee, Scott Gorman, Gary Moore, Mark
Nauseef, Brian Robertson, John Sykes, Midge Ure, Darren Whaton, and Snowy White. In 1976, Thin Lizzy
broke through in both the United States and U.K. with the Jailbreak album, which yielded “The Boys Are
Back In Town.” From that point on, the group racked up 16 hits in the U.K., including Top 10 smashes like
“Waiting for an Alibi” and “Killers on the Loose.” In the States, nine Thin Lizzy albums made the listings,
but only “Cowboy Song” (#77, 1976), their immediate follow-up to “The Boys Are Back in Town,” managed
to make the Hot 100.
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In 1978, Phil recorded Solo in Soho, his first solo album, and fronted Greedy Bastards with Garry Moore,
Jimmy Bain, and Gary Horton. He continued to work both with Thin Lizzy and on his own throughout the
’80s, until the band broke up in 1983. “No way, no way, at all am I gonna let Thin Lizzy die. It’s just on
hold,” said Lynott.
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In a last interview, Lynott said of his future: ”I’m takin’ it to the natural conclusion. I’m just gonna chase
my imagination…” On January 4, 1986, Phil Lynott died of heart failure and pneumonia, complications
from a drug overdose.